Oct. 03, 2011

The great thing about science is that no matter how old something is, there’s always something new to learn about it. For example, dinosaurs. Recently, a new member of the raptor family called Talos has been discovered, and the fossil has an injured toe – and that’s where things get important. See, this-little-piggy ended in a large hooked claw, and the type of injury means that it was probably used as a weapon.

Talos Drawing By Scott Hartman

Because this claw could be lifted off the ground in a safe position, some are comparing it to a ‘switchblade’. Now, I’m no expert in 1950’s style knife fights, but if my extensive research into musical theater is anywhere near correct, I can only assume that these ‘little scrappers’ formed gangs to dance-fight over good nesting grounds.

Of course, avian killing machines like the newly discovered Talos dinosaur cannot love, so no tragic suicides. I guess, that makes for a pretty mediocre production, but maybe that’s why the dinosaurs didn’t survive – they lacked that fiery passion for life.

Well, now we’ve got a whole new problem. The Sharks were named after fishy predators, and the Jets are super-sonic flying machines – so my question is this: when you’re a feathered dinosaur with clawed feet, what do you call your gang? The “Us”? “Pretty Cool, Aren’t We?” Too bad they were 7 million years before T. Rexes; “The Tyrant Lizards” would’ve been great. Hmm…sounds more like a band name. Let’s keep it short. “The Tyrants”. Now all they need is a good choreographer.

For more prehistoric news, listen in to our interview with David Attenborough about his new production, Flying Monsters 3D.